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Softball Wins Judi Garman Consolation Championship

FULLERTON, Calif.-- The 12th-ranked University of Washington softball team (21-7) won a pair of games Sunday to win the consolation championship at the 2007 Judi Garman Classic. UW used a no-hitter by junior Caitlin Noble to defeat eighth-ranked Texas 4-0 in the semifinal, while sophomore Danielle Lawrie held NC State to three hits in the championship en route to the 2-0 victory.

Washington, who lost all three of its pool play games on Thursday and Friday, made a strong comeback, posting three consecutive shutout wins to capture the consolation title. The Huskies out-scored their opponents 14-0 in bracket play and out-hit their opponents 29-4.

Noble's no-hitter vs. Texas marked the second of her career and the 25th no-no in the program's 15-year history. She picked up the complete game victory with 11 strikeouts and no walks.

The Longhorns had just two base runners on the day, both reaching base via errors by the infield.

Washington meanwhile exploded for 11 hits to score four runs.

The Huskies scored two runs in the first inning on three hits. Marnie Koziol singled through the left side of the infield and moved to second on a fielder's choice by All-American Dominique Lastrapes. Senior Tyson then singled through the right side to score Koziol and a sacrifice fly by Alicia Matthews, her fifth of the season, plated Lastrapes and gave Washington the 2-0 lead.

The Huskies tacked on two more runs in the second inning to chase UT starter Meghan Denny from the game. Lauren Greer sparked the rally with a double to left-centerfield and scored on a triple by All-American Ashley Charters. Texas brought in Erin Tresselt to pitch and she gave up an RBI-single to Koziol to put UW on top, 4-0.

Denny took the loss as she allowed four runs on five hits and struck out three over 2.1 innings. Tresselt pitched 5.1 innings in relief and gave up six hits and struck out three.

Washington defeated NC State in the final behind a six-hit effort. The Huskies got on the scoreboard in the third inning with an RBI-single by Lastrapes. The hit scored Greer who had reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to give UW the 1-0 lead.

The Huskies scored an insurance run in the seventh inning when Greer walked, stole second and third base, and scored on a single by Dani Stuart for the final 2-0 score.

Lawrie (12-3) kept the Wolfpack in check all day, holding them to just three hits and striking out 12. She has now posted double-figure strikeouts in 13 of 14 starts and has already surpassed the 200 strikeout mark (205) on the season.

Shaina Ervin (7-7) took the loss as she gave up two runs on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

Charters finished the tournament with a .529 average (9-for-17), while Lastrapes hit at a .400 clip (8-for-20). Noble went 2-1 with 29 strikeouts in 19.1 innings and while Lawrie tossed a shutout and recorded 35 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.

The Huskies, who are on Spring Break, will remain in Fullerton until Tuesday when they take on Utah in a single-game at 2 p.m. on the campus of Cal State Fullerton.